Other Better Days Chapter One
by jawsaints
Summary: This first chapter is an AU version of the Season three The One With The Morning After, and what I believe should have happened
1. A slightly different Morning After

Other better days

**Chapter 1 The slightly different Morning After**

Ross was devastated as he closed the door to apartment 20, shutting from his view the love of his life. He wandered in a daze down to Central Perk, knowing he was the one who did this, who made her so angry, a 'break'? hell he knew it was done. He ran into Chandler and Joey and they ferreted out what had happened and both of them at least sounded sorry, they thought it would it work out in the end "Man, it will, I mean you're Ross AND Rachel, you're lobsters, like Phoebe said" Joey told him. Chandler said "Well Hot Copy Girl invited me and Joey to this club Isaak is dee-jaying at, you should come it will do you good, give time for Rachel to figure out herself or whatever girly thing I just said" and smacked Ross on the back a few times "It will be alright man, give it time". Ross then reached into his coat and pulled out a small white velvet box and opened it, inside was a beautiful ring and a note for Rachel, "It was going to be the perfect most wonderful day ever, I mean I was going to propose!" Ross yelled, as everyone turned and looked at him strangely. Chandler and Joey looked at each other and said "Ross it's pretty close to the time to go down there anyways, lets go early and get some food there first." Chandler said as Joey wholeheartedly agreed "As long as there's sandwiches right?" They all laughed as Joey hailed a taxi and they headed uptown a few blocks.

It took a few minutes for them to get there, they piled out of the cab and paid then went into the club. The booths were open, and they grabbed one as a waitress came up to them "Can I get you guys anything? The eatery part shuts rather soon, then it'll only be the bar open, not much food there" They all said what they wanted, rather lame, but they ended up getting sandwiches and Joey got his meatball sub. After they were done eating, the waitress came up and said "Yeah the eatery is done for the night, but the bar is open and they serve some cheese sticks, French fries, fried finger foods would be the best way to say I guess" She smiled as they paid, and Joey unsuccessfully tried for her number, just as Chloe came in and walked over to them. "Hey guys, hey dinosaur guy! You're here early!" Chandler said "Yeah Ross was really hungry, so we came for the food before they closed." "Cool, lets gets some drinks and dance" She pulled Chandler and Joey over to the dance floor and Ross just sat at the bar.

* * *

Meanwhile just a few blocks away, a beautiful woman in her late twenties sat by the big window in her apartment, thinking. _Dam, I wish Monica was here right now, I could get it all fixed. Maybe I should call him or beep him or something to make sure he knows I still love him? _She jumped a little as the phone rang. "Hello?" It was Mark, the guy she was sure Ross absolutely hated, a big reason why this all happened. "Hey Rachel, I was wondering if you wanted to sort of maybe get some lunch or something tomorrow?" "Umm.. I kind of got a nice big old problem to solve right now…" He cut her off "Is it relationship troubles? Ross did something didn't he? I'll come over and we can have some Chinese and you tell me all about it." She stammered a bit "No its not necessary, I have Monica, I need to get Ross…" "No it'll be fine" He set the receiver down before she could firmly say no again, and he set off to her place. Rachel cried a bit as she realized what Ross would think if he came back while Mark was there, if she gave into the wrong moment or something while she was alone with Mark and woke up with him beside her. _It would kill me wouldn't it? Ross would be right, and I would be just the lady who lives with his sister, they would all hate me…_her thoughts trailed off as Mark knocked on her door a few minutes later. Both of them actually sat around for while eating, and Rachel surprised herself not once mentioning Ross. The phone rang, and Rachel went to answer it.

It was Ross, like she had hoped. "Rach, I'm sorry I will make it up to you, can we please not be on a break, I will stop being so jealous and stupid! I mean this is awful!" At the worst possible time, Mark decided to speak "Rachel, do you want the last egg roll?" Ross worried, said "Rachel, who is that?" "Ross, it's nobody"

"Rachel, don't lie to me, I still earn that much….that's Mark isn't it?" "Yes, Ross, but it's not what you think!" She stammered, trying to get the words out fast enough to save the sinking ship "He invited himself over, I love you Ross!" "Well apparently not as much as I thought. Goodbye Rachel" with that he slammed down the phone into its cradle and stormed back to the bar, and ordered the strongest drink he could think of, but he thought of Rachel and ordered "Scotch, neat" as he settled his head into his arms and wept there, at the bar as everyone danced. Chandler and Joey saw and heard Ross on the phone, and immediately knew something was a matter. Chandler said "Joey, keep Chloe occupied, I'm going to talk to him and see what happened." 'Alright man, I hope it's nothing too bad" Joey told him as he turned his head back to the writhing beauty by him.

Chandler walked to the bar and sat next to Ross. "Ross, what happened?" He tried a bit of brevity to lighten the situation "You can tell me, I promise no jokes" as Chandler laughed at his own joke. Ross looked up from his arms and stared at Chandler "Rachel was home, with Mark…I thought I was wrong….I thought she loved me, man…really" "She does Ross! Just don't do anything dumb right now, you will pay for it later." Ross looked back down at his drink, trying to tune out his friend "Seriously Ross, if you love her, give it a chance, there is probably an explanation you know?"

Ross took a long drink of the scotch and said "Yeah I am the world's greatest idiot, I give up man. Love, seriously sucks right now" with that he pulled the rest down his throat "Shit that burns" Chandler said "Well do you want me and Joe to take you home man? You've had three scotches, did you even realize that?" Ross looked down and saw three glasses "What?" "Yeah Ross you had two before you called her. I am surprised you're not falling down right now. Man?" The alcohol did finally hit him completely and he relaxed heavily "No the first two were scotch and sodas" Ross then said "Yeah probably, let Joe pick up some tail or whatever the hell he does at theses kinds of clubs, and as long as somebody gets home I'll be alright…" The rest of what he said trailed off as he slumped a bit in his seat, drunkenly obvious.

Chandler then knew what he had to do, he got up and walked to the payphone, and dialed.

* * *

Fifteen minutes earlier and twenty blocks away, Rachel started crying as she heard the slam of the phone on the other end. She stood up and in a shaky voice said "Mark, thank you, but can you please leave? I would like to be alone right now." "What is it? Ross isn't it? He is cheating on you I knew it!" He strode over to her and pulled her close to him "Rachel it's alright, I am here, forget about him for a while" He leaned in closer to her and pushed his lips to hers. She leaned in for just a second before she realized, she pulled back hard pulling out of his grasp, as a resounding smack was heard in the dim apartment. "What the? Why the hell did you slap me for?" Mark yelled at her "Because I love Ross you, you asshole!" Rachel screamed back "What? I help you work late so you can stay away from him, I take you out to lunch again and again! I bring you dinner and talk to you for two hours about the dork ex of yours, then I try to make you feel better and you slap me!" "I never asked you to do any of those things for me! I thought you did them to be nice, or was I wrong?" "Yes! I have wanted to screw you since the first time I saw you I wanted you for hours and hours and to wake up with you next to me, happy in the morning light." "What the fuck have you been smoking? What is wrong with you? Get the hell out of here and never talk to me again!" "I was right, you're nothing but a prudish, prissy, stuck-up bitch!" Mark gave her the finger as he stormed out of the apartment and slammed the door behind him, so hard it knocked the frame off the door, it clattered to the floor and broke in two. Rachel wept loudly into the silent apartment, and slowly made it over to the couch, where she pulled the phone towards her as she fell asleep.

* * *

Phoebe gave up on her date with the diplomat, she said goodbye and walked out to hail a cab back to Grove Street. Coincidently, Monica was actually getting rather bored talking to Mischa and even though they hadn't even gotten there yet, faked being 'woman sick' and kissed him sweetly on the cheek and said "Call me" as she walked down to the street corner and caught a cab back home.

Phoebe was the first to make it back and walked up to the apartment, and went in. She giggled when she saw the dim light and the Chinese food containers, she thought maybe Ross and Rachel had a little sit-down dinner and went to sleep or something like that, neither her nor Monica knowing what had happened yet. She walked in quietly, put her bag on the table all of them shared, and walked to the living room, where she gasped as she saw Rachel, tousle-haired and red-eyed from her night. She reached over and woke her gently "Rachel? Rachel?" Rachel turned in her fitful sleep and opened her eyes all the way "Pheebs? I thought you went out?" "Yeah I did, but Mon left with my translator man, and well the date kind of doesn't work without language." She giggled then asked "What happened? Where's Ross?" "We had…A fight. I told him we should take a break! What was I thinking?" She sat up and Phoebe screamed "Who did that? You're bruised!" Rachel looked down at her arms, and said "It was Mark, he grabbed me, we struggled, I got away." "Did he?" "No, thank God, I mean really, no he left after he cussed me out. I was afraid he was going to, I was going to go for the knife, but it's over. I need to find Ross and tell him I am sorry, I need to find him before he does something unforgivable like sleep with someone." She stopped talking and leaned into Phoebe's hug as the phone rang.

* * *

Chandler said "Rachel?" "Yeah?" "Ross is really plastered right now, he told me and Joey what happened between you both, he told us to take him home at the end of the night .I want to call you so just in case, you can know he's not in control of himself" "Why don't you guys take him back here? Trust me I need his company right now." "But he said-" Chandler was cut off "Trust me Chandler, get him here now. Goodbye" Rachel hung up the phone and sank back into the couch "Phoebe wake me up when he gets here" "Okay Rachel, go to sleep, it will be better when you wake." She took a blanket and laid it over her, before settling into the armchair and reading a book she had brought.

* * *

Chandler placed the phone back in its cradle, and walked over to where Ross was. He wasn't there, and Chandler ran onto the dance floor trying to find Joey. Joey was mindlessly moving to the rhythm when Chandler grabbed him by the shoulder and spun Joey to face him "Joe where's Ross?" "He was dancing over there" Joey said while pointing at a spot half-way across the floor. "Joey! Come on, we have to find Ross and take him back with us before he does anything stupid while drunk." They walked around for five minutes before they both yelled it out at the same time "CHLOE!" They ran to the phone, Chandler to call Rachel, Joey to call Ross. Joey dialed, and the phone rang and rang, and went to Ross' voice mail. "Ross come to Monica's and Rachel's something happened to Rachel, she needs you man!" Joey hit the return to get his quarter back and turned to Chandler who was talking to what he assumed to be Rachel.

* * *

"You got to take Phoebe and get over there Rachel, Ross left, we think he left with Chloe, please get over there so he doesn't do anything stupid!" Chandler heard Rachel whimper a little then mumble something to Phoebe "Alright but you and Joey get over there too! I will either need back up or help for a drunk Ross." "You got a deal if you and Pheebs get over there too, leave a note or something for Monica. Bye" Chandler hung up, then said "Hey Joey lets get to Ross' make sure he's alright" They left the pulsing rhythm of the club and ran into the rain, as Chandler hailed a cab, going to Ross'.

* * *

Rachel ran out of Phoebe's grandmother's cab and up the steps into his building, not stopping until she reached his door. Phoebe hustled and made it there a few seconds behind her. "Rachel, go ahead, knock" "Alright but I might not like what I see, right?" "Ross is a very drunk man right now, we just have to get the Hot Copy Girl out of the door before he does anything major. I mean it has only been a few minutes." Rachel shuddered a bit before smacking the door hard, repeatedly, trying to get someone to answer. "Ross answer the fucking DOOR! It's Rachel and I love you!" No one stirred, and Rachel turned to see Phoebe pulling a key out of her large bag. "Don't worry Rachel, I am pretty sure this qualifies as an emergency, an anti-dumb one, but still." She opened the door and caught it before it banged against the far wall. Rachel and Phoebe walked in and Rachel shrieked when she saw clothes on the floor, namely something pink and lacy that wasn't hers. She pushed Ross' door open and saw him asleep on the bed, only wearing boxers, his excitement showing out of his barn-door. She looked closer and was a little relieved when it seemed rather strained still, he hadn't got to it yet, so to speak. She pulled a blanket from the floor, and laid it over him, just as she saw Chloe. Chloe stood in the doorway to the bathroom in her full glory, then saw Rachel standing by the bed and screamed at her, asking her why she was there. "I am his girlfriend, and his friend. Get your clothes on and get out of here!" Ross stirred in his sleep but didn't wake up, as Chloe glared at her and just walked out of the room, naked in the moonlight.

Rachel sighed heavily and walked out to confront Chloe and end Ross' indiscretion before it fully occurred, _He was sure going to get an earful later!._

* * *

Phoebe was standing in Ross' kitchen, drinking a bottled water, when she heard a loud harrumph and turned to see a naked Chloe walking into the kitchen. Chloe yelled "What the hell?" as Phoebe dropped her water, giggling. Chloe looked at her again and said "What are you doing here?" "I came with Rachel to support her, in case Ross did something stupid, which he apparently did." Chloe smiled and said "Blond friend of dinosaur guy, no he passed out, I mean I barely strip off and everything and BAM! Out like a light. I am staying until I get some satisfactio-" She was cut off as Rachel walked into the Kitchen and said "Well then get a damn vibrator or something! Not my boyfriends doodle!" Phoebe ran out of the kitchen as they started yelling at each other. Rachel yelled "Just get out of here, I'm sorry you didn't get laid, _but _just get out before _I _do something I will regret like my intoxicated boyfriend." Phoebe heard them yell for a few minutes and then the door opened as Chandler and Joey both walked in at the same time.

"Woo-aah" They both exclaimed as Chloe walked nude into the living room, startling both of them. Chloe said "Hey guys get a _good_ look, because I am not going out with anyone of you again!" Joey said "Well I am getting a good look" as Chandler, Phoebe and Rachel all looked at him strangely. Phoebe pulled Chandler and Joey into the hallway with her "Let's go back to Mon's, and give them some privacy, I will even buy a Joey special." Chandler and Joey looked disappointed as they walked out of the building at the lack of Naked Xerox Girl, but they drove away in Phoebe's cab.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the apartment they just vacated, Rachel was still talking to Chloe as they stood in the Living Room. "Chloe can you at least put on some panties or something?" "What afraid of my nakedness? I am going to leave, and right now Dinosaur Guy is out like a light and it's just you and me." She sat down on the couch, reclined and kept talking to Rachel, who sat on the love seat. "Why if you love him, did you hurt him? Why was he so hollow and drained he got plastered and brought _me_ here?" Rachel couldn't even respond as a naked woman who had almost had sex with her inebriated boyfriend had questioned her! Rachel stood up and looked down at the relaxed Copy Girl who just smiled up at her. Rachel reached behind her and found the pink, lacy panties that were most certainly not hers and handed them to Chloe. "Here put these on already, I don't need to see your _goodness_ displayed, I already got my goods." Chloe sighed, rubbed her forehead, then pulled her panties on and stood up. Chloe sighed again and found her clothes and dressed right there. "Rachel, do you happen to see a bra around anywhere?" Rachel was tapping her foot impatiently and she jerked out of her trance "Huh?" "My bra?" "Oh its over there" Rachel said pointing at a blue bra in the doorway. Chloe was tired and still a bit _charged up_, so she grabbed her bra and stuffed in her purse. "Dinosaur Guy's great, don't tell him I was over here if he doesn't remember, and remember you're a catch yourself but love him like you said, or someone else will get him." Chloe walked toward the door, she sighed and said "You guys don't need a new copy place or anything, but just sort of forget tonight happened Rachel, alright?" She didn't give Rachel anytime to respond, as she shut the door hard on her way out. Rachel cried for a bit, then just decided to make the best of it. She stopped for a second and called Monica to let her know she would stay with Ross tonight.

Rachel walked in to the moonlit bedroom, undressed and got into bed with Ross. _Hell, I will deal with it whenever_ she thought as she leaned into him and fell asleep. She awoke pleasurably and looked down to see Ross' head between her legs. She let him at it, and moaned in satisfaction when he finished. He looked up at her and smiled at her flushed face and labored breathing "Hi".

"Ross, that was…the best wake-up I have ever had…but yesterday, I mean we got to talk about it."

"Yeah, I know I don't really even remember last night…can we just cancel it out, pretend tonight is last night instead? What a minute…what about our break?"

"Ross, do you want to not be on a break?" "YES!" "Then why did you worry? Anyways…you know you did bring home Chloe last night?" "Oh, NO! Did I sleep with her?" Rachel giggled at the look on his face, and said "Um…no, but I happened to see little Ross and he looked VERY happy." Ross then hid his head as Rachel, still laughing, got dressed. She told him to get up and dress, he did and they went into his kitchen to make a breakfast for the both of them. They ate together and just forgot their problems in the perfect morning.

They spent the entire first part of the morning together, and made love three times before leaving to go to Monica's. They spent the whole day together, just the two of them, after spending lunch at Monica's and then did go ahead and have the Anniversary picnic Ross had wanted. [We rejoin them there, in Central Park under the stars]

"I love you so much Rachel…I am sorry for being such a jealous idiot all the time, really" "Ross…you actually were right about Mark, sadly" "Wait…what? What did he do?" "Let's just say he got his shit together, with a little help from my hand across his face…and if you want to beat him up, go ahead, but it's alright now though, nothing happened THAT bad, if you get my drift. Let's just go home or whatever." Ross said no, lets go to the Planetarium, trust me it will be great." They left the park, and went to the Planetarium inside the museum. She gasped as Ross turned on the stars, and revealed in the lilies which covered every surface, and the words she had hoped to see flashed up "RACHEL GREEN WILL YOU MARRY ME?" she broke down in tears as Ross got down on one knee and presented her the ring. "Rach? Will you?" She screamed yes over and over again as they kissed passionately and slept there on the floor of the museums Planetarium, the first night they were engaged. They awoke the next morning, and looked at each other in the morning sun and smiled, as they were going to become Mr. and Mrs. Geller. She giggled as they left and went back to Monica's to tell everyone the big news.


	2. What they really did that night

Other Better Days

Chapter 2- The One with the slightly longer Flashback

(from Season 3, TOW The Flashback...Scene at the end with Phoebe and Ross)

Ross staggered slowly into the bar, and saw his best friend sitting there at the counter drinking a beer. Phoebe turned to him and said "What's wrong Ross?" Ross replied to her as he walked behind the bar to get himself a drink "I think my marriage is over". "Why?" "My wife is a lesbian" "Oh, that's horrible!" "Yes and apparently I'm not one, and it isn't a mix-and-match situation" Ross looked despondent as he sat down next to Phoebe and she embraced him as he started to sob "Maybe if I had listened more….or if I had a uterus this wouldn't have happened."

Phoebe looked Ross dead in the eyes and told him the truth, "You deserve better, Ross. You deserve someone who wants you" She kissed him on the cheek and said "Someone who needs you" she kissed him even faster and more passionately "Someone who loves you" Phoebe then changed everything between them, as she first pecked him on the lips, then kissed him for real, strongly and they stared each other in the eyes and jumped to each other, kissing and rubbing every part of each other. She led him backward to the pool table "Ross remember to watch your head" Ross ducked the low lamp as he leaned on top of her and they never broke the kiss. Their clothes started coming off, flying every which way. Phoebe said "Its lucky Joey bought a pizza, huh?" as she giggled when Ross unhooked her bra and saw Phoebe for the first time in her rather nice glory.

They kept going, and Phoebe unbuttoned his pants, he looked at her, and she nodded as he pulled her skirt off. Phoebe and Ross made love in the darkened bar as the moon rose and shone through the door. They snapped out of the feeling of bliss, and Phoebe said "I wonder if Mon would let me sleep on the couch tonight? I don't want to stagger in so late to my grandmother's and worry her, I told her I would be out tonight anyways." Ross turned to her and said "Phoebe, you know you could come back with me for tonight, I wouldn't mind your company, I mean my apartment has been so quiet since Carol left. I _really wouldn't_" He said the last part huskily as she blushed and said "Yes, why not? But you have to give me a ride to my grandmother's in the morning, so I can get ready for the day." Ross immediately agreed "Of course" They went outside and hailed a cab back to Ross' apartment.

The ride back was rather short, and ten minutes from leaving the bar, they were sitting on the couch in Ross' apartment. Phoebe looked at him, and said "Ross, do you want to …again?" Ross smiled wide, and told her "Yes" as he kissed her slowly. Phoebe kissed him back, and they heated up and were kissing passionately, when Ross started undressing her and she smiled as she started stripping him. He palmed her chest slowly and she felt his reaction, as they moved from the couch into the bedroom and she then pushed him down on the bed as they both laughed. She set the pace as they made love yet again in the brilliant moonlight. Both of them fell asleep as they were trying for the sixth time that night, and slept soundly and happily, waking up in each others arms.

They fully awoke, and looked each other in the eyes and both asked "Did yesterday happen?" Then they looked down and smiled when they realized they were both naked. Ross spoke up and said "I guess it did, and it was nice" Phoebe and Ross got out of bed and hugged each other, and went to get dressed. "Ross we'll talk in a little bit?" Phoebe asked, and Ross told her "Yes, I was going to say I think we do…but later" Phoebe said "At the bar later?" Ross told her as they were walking out, "Yeah" Ross then hailed a cab for the both of them, to Phoebe's grandmother's apartment.

The cab took a while to get there, and they kissed each other a couple times along the ride. When the cab stopped, Phoebe giggled and told Ross that she had to go, she did about ten minutes later, finally get into her grandma's place.

Later that day, they met up at the bar to talk, then decided to take a walk in Central Park. They actually held each other's hands as they walked close to each other, and finally sat on a bench, after twenty minutes of walking (mostly). Phoebe turned to him and said "That was a wonderful night wasn't it?" "Yeah...I mean yes, it was" Phoebe knew something was wrong, and asked him "It was the woman Monica and Chandler saw at the bar, wasn't it…Monica didn't say much, just something about Rach…something, Filange maybe?" Ross snapped out of his trance and said "Isn't Filange the finger bones? I mean how could that be a last name? Wait…Rachel Green, maybe?" Phoebe said "Yeah, that's it…she knew you guys from way back or something? But you're thinking about her?" Ross, uncomfortable, managed to say "Yes, I sort of loved her since 9th grade typing class" Phoebe replied "You feel guilty about what happened between us for her? What about you're wife Carol?" Ross just stammered as Phoebe laughed.

"Ross, I was just making a point, you have not seen Rachel in forever yet you still love her, more then you're wife, but enh…whatever." Phoebe covered her smile under her hand as she rubbed her face, checking her lipstick in the process. Ross just sighed and asked her "Did you like kissing me, Pheebs?" Phoebe looked up at him and smiled "Of course I did, but you know, both of us know this isn't going to lead anywhere, you're married and you love another woman." "Pheebs, we do love each other…just you know, not _that _way though…can we do something like that again though?" "Ross, geesh…I mean was it that good?" "Yes I think we owe it to sex" They both laughed, standing up and walking back towards Monica's apartment as the sun went down for that, slightly better day.


End file.
